No. 4.] THE GYPSY MOTH. 265 



of two hundred and thirty men was set at work. These men 

 became more and more valuable as they became acquainted with 

 the territory infested and with the habits of the insect. But again 

 in October we were obliged to discharge all but forty men. Should 

 the committee again undertake to increase the force, they will 

 probably have a similar experience. 



We desire to present to the Legislature the state of the problem 

 and various plans for solving it, with an estimate of the cost of 

 each class of work for the next year. There are large areas of 

 woodland in the infested towns. There are points in these forested 

 districts known to be infested. There are probably other points 

 where colonies have been established, and possibly many such. 

 The dense growth of the underbrush in this woodland, and the 

 thick carpet of dead leaves on the ground, make perfect inspection 

 almost impossible. There are about four hundred acres of this 

 woodland which will, if it is allowed to remain, continue to be an 

 uncertain element in our problem. 



If the timber could be felled and burned on the ground during 

 the winter and early spring, and the ground carefully burned over 

 twice during the summer, that element would be eliminated. We 

 estimate the cost of this work at Si 25 per acre, or a total of 

 $J0,000 ; but we are confronted with the fact that most of the 

 forest is situated in Medford, Maiden, Arlington, Melrose, Win- 

 chester and Stoneham, and that much of it is valued for prospective 

 parks. Its destruction would be considered a calamity by the 

 inhabitants of these places. 



We believe that with sufficient means, and in several years' time, 

 these forest lands can be cleared of moths without destroying the 

 timber. To accomplish it all the underbrush and all the decayed 

 and worthless trees must be cut and destroyed by fire, the ground 

 burned over, and the whole carefully inspected at least twice each 

 year. Burlaps must be placed wherever the moth appears or has 

 been found previous to the clearing up. The latter plan will in the 

 aggregate cost more than the former, but, as the work need not 

 necessarily be all done at once, and as it could be done in connec- 

 tion with the other work of the department, utilizing the time of the 

 men in the winter and early spring, it may be the best plan to pursue. 



